Switches for use with flexible printed circuits



Dec. 5, 1967 5. w. MATTHEWS 3,

SWITCHES FOR USE WITH FLEXIBLEPRINTED CIRCUITS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 25, 1966 Dec. 5, 1967 B w. MATTHEWS 3,356,817

SWITCHES FOR USE WITH FLEXIBLE PRINTED CIRCUITS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 25, 1966 United States Patent 3,356,817 SWITCHES FOR USE WITH FLEXIBLE PRINTED CIRCUITS Benjamin William Matthews, Birmingham, England, as-

signor to Joseph Lucas (Industries) Limited, Birmiugham, England, a British company Filed Oct. 25, 1966, Ser. No. 589,371 Claims priority, application Great Britain, Dec. 13, 1965, 52,777/65 4 Claims. (Cl. 200-166) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A switch for use with a flexible printed circuit includes a body which is adapted to grip the flexible printed circuit and hold it firmly in position relative to the body. Portions of the flexible printed circuit are exposed, and are engaged by fixed contacts carried by the body. A rotor movable angularly relative to the body incorporates movable contacts which engage the fixed contacts to define the on and off positions of the switch.

This invention relates to switches for use with flexible printed circuits.

A switch according to the invention comprises a body adapted to grip the flexible printed circuit, fixed contacts carried by the body and permanently engaging exposed portions of the printed circuit in use, a rotor carried by the body, and movable contacts carried by the rotor engage-able with the fixed contacts.

One example of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a sectional view of a switch in position on the facia board of a road vehicle and,

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view on the line 22 in FIG- URE 1, to a reduced scale.

Referring to the drawings a body 11 molded in a synthetic resin has rotatably mounted therein a shaft 12. The body is intended to be secured to the rear of a facia panel 13 in a road vehicle with the shaft 12 extending through a hole in a flexible printed circuit 14 resting on the panel, and thence through the panel itself to provide an operating handle. As shown at 15, the edge of the body which contacts the printed circuit 14 is serrated to grip the printed circuit and hold it in position.

Located within the body and permanently engaged with exposed portions of the circuit 14 are .three fixed contacts which are spaced from each other by 120 and each of which includes a pair of resilient arms 17 which are compressed when the body is in position on the panel 13, and so make good contact with the exposed portions of the circuit 14. The contacts 16 are shaped to prevent angular movement relative to the body 11, and are prevented from movement towards the panel 13 by integral arms 18 stamped from the sides of the contacts and engaging shoulders '19 formed in the body. Movement of the contacts in the other direction is prevented by a felt washer 21 and a synthetic resin washer 22 which engage the con- 3,356,81 7 Patented Dec. 5, 1967 tact and are held against a shoulder 23 in the body by flanges 24 on a lid 25 closing the body.

Carried by and rotatable with the shaft 12 is an insulating block 26, having therein a plurality of recesses 27. A conductive-carrier plate '28 is engaged with the block 26, the plate 28 having integral therewith a plurality of arms 29 which engage the recesses 27 so that the plate 28 and the block 26 are capable of relative axial movement but not relative angular movement. The plate 28 carries a pair of generally hemispherical contacts 30 which are spaced apart by around the plate 28. The block 26 is further formed with a plurality of axial bores 31 which house compression spring 32 serving to urge the plate 28 away from the block 26.

The arrangement is such that by rotation of the shaft 12 the plate 28 can be brought to a position where the contacts 30 are engaged with two of the contacts 16, the plate 28 thereby interconnecting two parts of the printed circuit. The contacts 16 are provided with depressions 1=6 with which the contacts 30 engage to maintain the switch in a set position against inadvertent movement. Firm engagement is ensured by virtue of the permissible axial movement of the plate 28.

The body .11 is also provided with depressions 11 which the contacts 30' engage to define an off position of the switch.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A switch comprising a flexible printed circuit having exposed conductive portions, a body means on said body gripping the flexible printed circuit to hold the flexible printed circuit firmly relative to said body, fixed contacts carried by the body and permanently engaging said exposed portions of the printed circuit, a rotor carried by the body, and movable contacts carried by the rotor engageabl'e with the fixed contacts.

2. A switch as claimed in claim 1 wherein the rotor is formed from insulating material and said movable contacts are secured to a conductive plate non-rotatably engaged with the rotor, the conductive plate being urged in a direction to engage said movable contacts with the fixed contacts.

3. A switch as claimed in claim 1 wherein the fixed contacts and the movable'contacts are so shaped that when they are interengaged they locate the rotor relative to the "body and so define an on position of the switch.

4. A switch as claimed in claim 3 wherein the body is formed with portions complementary in shape to the shape of the movable contacts carried by the rotor, the movable contacts and said portions being engaged to define an 01f position of the switch.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 9/1958 Gahagan 200-166 5/1963 Wright 200-4 66 

1. A SWITCH COMPRISING A FLEXIBLE PRINTED CIRCUIT HAVING EXPOSED CONDUCTIVE PORTIONS, A BODY MEANS ON SAID BODY GRIPPING THE FLEXIBLE PRINTED CIRCUIT TO HOLD THE FLEXIBLE PRINTED CIRCUIT FIRMLY RELATIVE TO SAID BODY, FIXED CONTACTS CARRIED BY THE BODY AND PERMANENTLY ENGAGING SAID EXPOSED PORTIONS OF THE PRINTED CIRCUIT, A ROTOR CARRIED BY THE BODY, AND MOVABLE CONTACTS CARRIED BY THE ROTOR ENGAGEABLE WITH THE FIXED CONTACTS. 